This week on Photojournalism Now: Friday Round Up – two exhibitions in Melbourne including the massive NGV Triennial. Breaking News: Victoria is going into a 5 day lockdown as of midnight tonight, but ever the optimist, hopefully we will be out and about before these shows close!
Plus join Alison Stieven-Taylor and Tom Goldner at the Centre for Contemporary Photography (CCP) on Saturday 27 February at 3pm for the talk: Narrative in Visual Storytelling. It’s part of the PHOTO2021 festival and it’s free, but you must register. We will be talking about Goldner’s new book Do Brumbies Dream in Red?
Talk:
Exhibitions: Melbourne
3000 Streets – Mike Reed
Melbourne street photographer Mike Reed is known for his ‘humorous visual narratives’ that come from having an astute eye, quick reflexes and recognising he’s in the right place at the right time. His images often capture the theatricality of the quotidian. This show features a selection of work that will help you to look on the bright side of life, to quote Monty Python.
Until 26 February at Forty Five Downstairs 45 Flinders Lane Melbourne
NGV Triennial
Yanni Florence
Untitled 2016–18 from the Tram windows series 2016–18 gelatin silver photograph 57.0 x 38.0 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2020
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Triennial features 86 projects by more than 100 artists, designers and collectives from more than 30 countries. There is a staggering amount of creative work on show. One of my favourites (and it is so hard to make this call with such a wealth of material to choose from), is Melbourne artist Yanni Florence’s Tram Windows series shot at a tram stop opposite the Nicholas Building on Swanston Street in the city of Melbourne. These portraits are scratched and textured, the tram windows acting as filters. I love the abstraction, and also the pensive faces of the travellers.
Yanni Florence
Untitled 2016–18 from the Tram windows series 2016–18 gelatin silver photograph 57.0 x 38.0 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2020
Florence says the initial inspiration for this series came from a famous photograph by Robert Frank of people looking out of a trolley car in New Orleans. ‘I wanted to explore some ideas I saw in that photograph … I took a few photographs of people looking out of tram windows and tried to get as close as possible to make portraits. The passengers sit there, mostly passively waiting for their journey’s end, looking out, watching the world go by. There is a very open, unguarded and accepting look they have, that I tried to show.’
Yanni Florence
Untitled 2016–18 from the Tram windows series 2016–18 gelatin silver photograph 57.0 x 38.0 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2020
Level 3, Gallery 28
Until 18 April 2021 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Free entry.
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